Love and War
by Azaisya
Summary: Jason's happy with Piper. At least, that's what he keeps telling himself. Too bad a certain Roman praetor won't get out of his head. And then said praetor shows up at his doorstep, bleeding and injured. So much for a slow relaxing evening. But will it be too late for him to finally tell her how he feels? Warnings: Major character death, onesided Jasper, Jeyna (of course), oneshot.


**Oh my gods I'm actually going back to this fandom!? *shocked gasps* This is an old one, though, that I found half buried amid all of my other half-finished fanfictions. I'm not altogether satisfied with the ending, but I hope it's passible. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and co. Rick Riordan does.**

* * *

Jason was having a good night. First of all, he was in New Rome. Sure, he liked Camp Half-Blood, but there was just something . . . _refreshing_ about being in the Roman city. Something altogether . . . familiar.

Second of all, he had an arm around his girlfriend. The TV was flickering as black-and-white people talked and acted. Jason had been told it was a good movie, but Piper said it was boring and, frankly, Jason agreed. But he wasn't going to change it. Especially because the remote was out of arms' reach, and Piper was asleep on his shoulder.

Gods, he loved that girl so much. They'd been together for about three years, now.

A tiny voice in the back of his mind hissed, 'But you don't love her most.'

Jason retorted, 'Shut up.'

'You know it's true. You don't love her as much as—'

'I'm only doing it to protect her! Reyna is strong; she can deal with it. Piper isn't like that. She's not like her.'

'But you saw the look in Reyna's eyes. She's broken, inside.'

'Shut up!'

'Whatever you say. . . .'

Suddenly, the night didn't seem as good anymore. Jason's arm tightened around his girlfriend, but it just didn't feel . . . real anymore. He tried to focus on the movie, but the special effects were really cheesy and easy to see through. And that didn't help him take his mind off things.

There was a knock on the door. Jason stood up, and Piper jerked awake. "What is it? Jason?" Her voice was threaded with sleep, and her hair was slightly tangled on one side, but she ran her fingers through it, and she was instantly perfect again. One of the perks to being a daughter of Aphrodite. Then again, Jason was just _slightly_ biased. . . .

"Jason!" The voice was oddly high-pitched and panicked, and came from outside. "Jason, _please_." The voice broke.

Jason no longer had a praetor's villa, but that was alright with him. After all, he had a cabin all to himself at Camp Half-Blood. And an apartment at Camp Jupiter. So it took next to no time to run towards the door and pull it open, wariness and fear slowly creeping up inside his chest. "What's going. . . ." The words died in the blond man's throat when he saw Gwen standing just outside the door, her cheeks streaked with tears, her hands covered in blood.

"Gwen, what—" Once again, the words trickled out. Dakota was standing behind Gwen. His hands — and arms — were soaked with blood, and his chest was dark with it. Jason's heart plummeted into his bare feet as his stomach soared into his throat. Because it wasn't Dakota's blood. No, the blood belonged to—

Oh, gods above, _no_. . . .

A woman — only nineteen — was held in his arms, wisps of her ebony hair escaping her braid, obsidian eyes hidden under closed lids. Her purple cloak was stained red, and it was nigh impossible to tell that her now red toga had been white.

Piper's voice came from behind Jason. "What's going on? Is that . . . _oh_."

"Reyna." Jason's voice was no more than a croak, and horror was clear on his face.

Gwen managed a shaky, "Can we please come in, Jason?"

Jason quickly scrambled out of the way, saying, "Down the hallway. There's a couch." Gwen nodded shakily, lower lip trembling.

When Dakota tried to pass, Jason reached out and, putting one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees, took Reyna, carrying her bridal style. The ebony-haired girl's face twisted with pain, and she coughed slightly.

Piper quickly scrambled behind him as he walked down the hallway. Jason didn't care that Gwen and Dakota were looking tired and confused, or that Piper was asking a question, or that the TV was still on.

All he could hear was Reyna's labored breathing. All he could smell was her blood covering his shirt and arms. All he could feel was his own terror. All he could taste was the fear building in his throat. And all he could see was the pale-faced praetor in his arms.

Gingerly, Jason laid her down on the couch, not caring that the blanket wouldn't ever be gray again, sitting on the ottoman next to it. Piper asked, her voice high, "Jason? Do you want me to get the ambrosia?"

All he could do was nod and say, "It— it's in the cupboard by the fridge."

"I know." Piper got up and left, taking Gwen with her.

Jason grabbed a fistful of blanket and pressed it to where there seemed to be the most blood, quickly fashioning a tourniquet. Following his hands, he found the wound and attempted to stop the flow of blood.

Reyna's eyes flew open and she gasped in pain. "Reyna," Jason whispered, feeling something inside of him break, "Reyna, you're going to be alright."

Her head turned slightly, obsidian eyes meeting his own blue ones. "Jason. . . ." Her voice was weak. Dakota had the sense to stay quiet.

"Promise me," he pleaded, one hand moving — seemingly of its own accord — to cup her cheek, not caring at the amount of blood that was getting everywhere. "Promise me you'll be okay."

The praetor's smile only lasted for an instant, her breathing growing fainter and fainter. "I . . . can't . . . Jason." Each word was forced out between gritted teeth, but the look in her eyes was strangely gentle.

Unbidden, tears pricked Jason's eyes as he shook his head disbelievingly. "No." He pressed the blanket to her wound again. "No." His voice rose. "I won't believe it." Why was Piper taking so long?

Reyna bit her lip to keep from crying out. "Jason, please. . . ."

"You're going to live," he said fiercely, daring her to deny it. She didn't. She just kept her mouth shut, but her obsidian eyes betrayed her. Reyna knew she wasn't going to come away from this alive.

* * *

Piper led Gwen into the kitchen, asking, "What happened? I thought Reyna was at that meeting." She knew because they — meaning Jason and Piper — had been supposed to go out to eat dinner with the praetor, but she had declined, admitting that she had to be otherwise occupied.

Gwen's eyes were red and puffy, but she said, shakily, "We — Dakota and I — were walking to visit her, because otherwise she doesn't eat—"

Piper turned her head, surprised. "Why not?" She knew that Reyna liked Jason, and that Jason liked Reyna a _little bit_. But Piper wasn't jealous. She understood that you couldn't help who you loved, and that Jason probably would've ended up with Reyna if Hera hadn't snatched him away — despite everything the goddess had done, Piper had to thank her for that — but she couldn't hate Reyna.

Reyna was praetor of the legion, and had kept it together while Jason had been missing. She had been able to keep Octavian away from Jason's (and later Percy's) chair. She had stood strong under the burden of two after Jason (and later Percy) vanished.

But there was more than that.

Reyna was strong, and was able to keep her emotions in check. She always put Rome before her, always put others' needs before her own (Piper wasn't sure if that was always a good thing).

So Piper couldn't hate Reyna. But she couldn't _like_ her. Because Reyna was a threat to Piper's relationship with Jason. Because Reyna was everything Piper wasn't. Reyna was beautiful, but she wasn't beautiful like Piper. Piper was beautiful in a daughter-of-Aphrodite type of way. A shallow, non-meaningful way. Reyna was beautiful in a jungle-warrior-princess type of way (although, that sort of made sense because Hylla was Queen of the Amazons). Her beauty _meant_ something.

So, Piper had a (grudging) respect for the Roman praetor. And she knew the feeling was mutual.

Gwen scratched the back of her head. "Uh . . . sometimes she gets caught up in paperwork." Hastily, she added, "And because we wanted to see her. But normally Frank gets her to eat. Sometimes. Sort of. Where's the ambrosia?"

"Oh. Right." Piper opened up the cupboard and swore. The little bag that normally held ambrosia was gone, with a slip of paper in its place. "Seriously?" she demanded snatching it and flipping it open.

_Piper or Jason—_

_Sorry. We were going to go out — so we knew we were going to come across monsters. And it was in the middle of the night, so we didn't want to wake anybody. And we knew you had this stash! And we knew you were at Camp Half-Blood, and that nobody could possibly be hurt here (this is New Rome, you know) so . . . yeah. Sorry._

_— Percy_

"Percy!" Piper exclaimed.

"What?" Gwen asked.

The kaleidoscope-eyed girl rolled her eyes. "Percy took the ambrosia."

Gwen's eyes widened with horror. "But Reyna!"

Piper began to open and close cupboard doors, searching for any loose leaves. No, she didn't like Reyna. But neither did she not like her. Piper didn't _want_ Reyna to die.

Gwen joined the search, but her movements were more frantic. Piper distinctly heard Reyna cry out from the living room.

Gwen sniffed, and muttered, "Sorry I'm getting blood all over your kitchen."

"It's no problem," the daughter of Aphrodite assured, "It's not your fault." She swore after discovering yet another ambrosia-less cupboard. "So what happened? Why would anyone try to kill Reyna?" She was praetor, after all.

"Octavian." Gwen's voice was thick with venom, hate clear in her words.

"But I thought Frank and Reyna launched him into the wild blue yonder." She slammed the fridge door shut. _Come on, Percy! You just had to?_

"They did," Gwen's voice was becoming less angry and more frantic. "And that's why he ki— _attacked_ her."

Piper suddenly gasped. "Oh, I'm an idiot!" She darted into her and Jason's bedroom, calling over her shoulder, "I just remembered I brought some in my bag from Camp Half-Blood."

She returned, triumphantly waving a zip-log baggie, and she and Gwen raced into the living room. As soon as she entered, Piper stopped, her heart suddenly pounding very hard in her throat.

Jason sat on the ottoman, one hand wrapped firmly around Reyna's, his other hand using the blanket as a temporary bandage. He was whispering to her, and she was replying, forcing out her words through a pain-streaked face.

Piper felt her heart drop into her feet. Gwen simply pushed past the frozen daughter if Aphrodite, snatching the bag and rushing to Jason.

* * *

Gwen said, voice thick, "Jason, here!" Jason immediately grabbed the bag, practically ripping it open. _Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic._ He panicked.

But Reyna's hand darted out, resting on his wrist. She shook her head, just once, and he nearly broke then and there. "Reyna, please," he pleaded with her.

But her obsidian eyes were glazing over. "It's okay . . . Jason," she coughed.

Jason could hear Gwen sobbing into Dakota's shoulder, but he just stared at the praetor. "I'm sorry," he said finally.

Her eyes snapped to his. "Why?" Her words were almost too soft to hear, now.

Gently, Jason leaned over her, pulling his hands away from her wound. "I'm sorry, Reyna," he repeated. And then he pressed his lips to hers. He felt her stiffen, but then she replied as best she could, kissing him back.

Gently, cringing whenever she hissed in pain, he cradled her head in his hands, the scent of blood heavy in the air around him. Blood was the only thing he could taste, but he didn't care. Against her lips, he whispered, "I love you." He wished he could've said so much more.

_I'm sorry I broke your heart. I'm sorry I stayed with Piper. I'm sorry for leaving you to lead New Rome alone. I'm sorry that I thought you were strong enough to deal with the heartbreak. I'm sorry that I watched you struggle without doing anything. I'm sorry for leading you on. I'm sorry for staying with Piper even though I loved you. I'm sorry for everything._

When he pulled away, she was staring at him, obsidian eyes wide. He loved her eyes. They were so dark, hiding all of her pain. But he knew her; he could see right through her. He could see her joy, her relief, her reply_. I love you, too_. And then she shuddered and fell limp, her obsidian eyes sliding shut. Gwen outright wailed at that, and even Dakota started crying. But Jason just sat there, head bowed, hands clenched in Reyna's dark hair.

After a long silence, he pulled away. His hands immediately found Ivlivs. "Gwen, Dakota," he ordered, voice hoarse and ragged, "Come with me. We're going to find Octavian." Obediently, the two Romans followed him as he left.

* * *

Piper just stood, frozen in her spot in the doorway, jaw hanging open. She'd seen death before, of course. But this? She had just seen Jason admit his undying love for Reyna before she'd. . . .

Drawing in a shuddering breath, Piper finally found it in herself to step towards the raven-haired young woman. She was crying, tears silently cascading down her cheeks. "Jason. . . ." she whispered, "Why?"

She knelt by the couch, gingerly touching Reyna's limp hand. It was coated in blood, but still warm. Suddenly, Reyna's eyelids fluttered.

Piper leaped backwards, yelping as she flew over the ottoman. "R- Reyna?" she stammered.

"Sorr—" the praetor began but her breath hitched and her eyelids slid shut. But she was still alive, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Oh. My. Gods," Piper gasped, automatically reaching down for the bag of ambrosia. But she knew it was too late. Reyna knew it, Jason knew it.

Reyna's eyes flickered open long enough for Piper to see her emotions. She was happy, despite the fact she was dying. For the first time in . . . ever, Piper could tell that Reyna was truly happy.

Biting her lip, hard, Piper crouched by the dying girl. She knew, that in another lifetime, they might've even been friends. Licking her lips, she asked, "Do you want the ambrosia?"

Reyna forced her eyelids open, a listless smile flickering across her lips. "Sorry . . . for taking . . . him." She coughed weakly, blood bubbling at her lips.

Piper shook her head. "You're not," she said softly, "Not for me, anyways. You're sorry that he won't have anyone after you die." She frowned, exploring her feelings. "I don't blame you," she said finally, honestly. "I would wish the two of you the best of luck, but. . . ."

Reyna's eyes slid shut again. "Thank . . . you. . . ." And when her breathing ceased, Piper knew for sure that she was dead. She sighed bitterly.

_No, Reyna, I can't blame you for taking Jason._ She hugged herself. _Especially because I did the same to you. _She closed her eyes, but the image of Reyna's still form was burned into her mind. _I can't blame Jason, either,_ she thought desperately, feeling a sharp pain in her chest, _because I still love him._

* * *

Reyna's will consisted mostly of letters to the people she knew. She didn't have a lot of possessions, and most of what she did have was given to either Frank, her fellow praetor, Jason, her longtime friend, Hylla, her sister, or the other members of the Seven. Everybody else received letters. Piper was surprised to receive anything. She got a small sum of money and a ring. And a letter, of course.

_Dear Piper,_

_I sincerely hope you'll use the ring for something. It doesn't have any magical uses, or is special in any way, but I received it from the sorceress Circe. I'm sure that, should you look, you could find some special properties. Note that I wouldn't try it — should there actually happen to be a spell embedded in it — on any males. Circe tended to turn them into guinea pigs._

_I know I haven't given you much. I can't give you much. I wouldn't know what to give you. I honestly don't respect the children of Venus that much, and I never saw any reason to see Aphrodite's children differently. But I want to ask you something._

_Take care of Jason for me. He was my saving grace. Without him, I'm falling, and there's no way back up. I know you — and several others — have tried to play matchmaker before, but it won't work. I can't love anyone other than Jason Grace. Please, Piper, I beg of you. Take care of him. I know you don't want me to, but I love him. Loved, I suppose, since I'm dead if you're reading this. But he chose you, so you better take care of him. Thank you, if you do._

_And, for what it's worth, I'm sorry we couldn't be friends._

_Sincerely,_

_Reyna_

Piper bit her lip hard, but still the tears escaped. "I will," she whispered, "I promise I'll take care of him." And that was why she never told him that Reyna hadn't died in his arms.

* * *

Jason didn't even bother reading all of Reyna's last letter to him. It was obvious that she had written it long before he had made it painstakingly clear that he still wanted to be friends with her.

And anything she would've written would've been out of date after he had kissed her. And, besides, he didn't want anything she had written to tarnish his last memory of her, the glow of happiness in her eyes after he had drawn away.

There was nothing left of Octavian but a pile of flesh and bones somewhere in New Rome.

Jason sighed, leaning back, closing his eyes. Reyna's funeral had been long, and practically everybody had come. Everybody had been crying and Jason knew she would've hated it.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder. He muttered, "Go away." Practically everybody else in the Seven had already come, and he had turned away each of them. There was only one person left, and he most definitely didn't want to see her right now.

"No," Piper said firmly, leaning over. "I promised her I'd take care of you."

Jason's eyes flew to hers, shocked.

"Come on," she said gently, tugging him up, "Let's go to our apartment." Something strange flickered in his eyes, and she agreed, "Yeah, I know, we're not together anymore, but it's still ours."

He looked at her, relieved. "Thanked, Pipes," he said hoarsely, "You have no idea. . . ."

"Least you told her," she forced out, "before she, you know. . . ."

Jason turned empty eyes to her as she led him away.

The daughter of Aphrodite continued, purposely keeping Charmspeak away from her words because she needed them to be _real_, "Come on, Jason. You have to eat. Reyna," _Did he notice the way her voice caught?_ "wouldn't want you to waste away because of her."

"I'm sorry," he told her brokenly, "I'm sorry I ruined our relationship."

What was she supposed to say to that? "Yeah, I'm totally mad at you for kissing the real love of your life while she was on her deathbed"? Piper sighed, replying with the only thing she could. "It's okay. I understand."

"Thanks, Piper."

_Reyna would've wanted it._

* * *

**Yes, I'm aware weapons wouldn't be allowed past the boundary, but... just ignore that fact for the sake of this fic? Please? And review! If you review I'll reply and check out your profile _and_ review any oneshots you might have that I know the fandoms of!**


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